The Splendor of St. Petersburg Art & Life in Late Imperial Palaces of Russia

An unprecedented tour of the most stunning and architecturally significant palatial homes of Russia's nobility, many not previously photographed and inaccessible to visitors.

This luxurious presentation takes the reader on a breathtaking tour through the most magnificent mansions in St. Petersburg, Russia, built by the prerevolutionary aristocracy.

Palaces of St. Petersburg reflects the unparalleled access and meticulous research of the authors, showcasing private residences that are unsurpassed in their historical importance and artistic grandeur. From the world-renowned Yusupov Palace, where Count Yusupov, famous for killing Rasputin, carried out his courtly duties, to the Polovtsov Palace, its unassuming facade concealing one of the most spectacular interiors of St. Petersburg, these residences have been an integral part of Russian history.

This volume gives readers a glimpse into the interiors of these family homes with their sweeping marble staircases and grand rooms with elaborate parquet floors, intricate moldings, and mosaic details, enriched with sculptures and tapestries. All-new photography--as well as archival images showing the rooms and art collections as they existed in the day--celebrate the enduring beauty and exquisite restorations of these masterpieces, which reflect a lost way of life.

Thierry Morel is a curator, author, and a former director of the Hermitage Foundation UK. He curated the groundbreaking exhibition Houghton Revisited and edited and contributed to the catalog Houghton Revisited: The Walpole Masterpieces from Catherine the Great's Hermitage.
Elizaveta Renne is a senior curator at the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia, and the author of numerous catalogs including Sixteenth- to Nineteenth-Century British Painting: State Hermitage Museum Catalogue.